Shank stiffener for shoes



1 24o 1 Apnl 12,1927. G'A. HURLEY 6 ,o

,.SHANK STIFFENER FOR SHOES Filed April 18, 1923 Patented Apr. 12, 1927.

GEORGE A. HURLEY, or RocKiAnn, MASSACHUSETTS. y

'sanitr STIFFENER son 'siaons Application 'filed April is, ieee. serialfno. s323290.

rThis invention relates 'to shank stitfen'ers for shoes and has for itsobject a shank stiffener of composite construction arranged to provideexceptional stiffness and support to the shank-portion of the shoe.

A further object is a 'shank sti'flener constructed and arranged toprovide a substantial support for the ball-portion of the shoe comparedwith the sapport provided by the `vcommon form y'of shank stiii'errer.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a .shank stifiener embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the sha'ped or molded'base-member of thestifl'en'er.

F 3 is a plan view of a reinforcing meniber adapted to be receivedwithin the rec'ess in the upper face of lthe base-men'rbei'.

4, is a longitudinal section 'along 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a transverse 5-5 ofFig. 1.

Fig. 6` is `a transverse 6 '6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a. transverse 7-7 o-fAFig. 3.

As here shown, the 'shank stiffener embodying the invention comprises abasemembeil 10 which may be made of fibre or other suitable material andhas a more or less usual outline. Said base member' is formed or moldedwith a raised middle portion 11 on its lower face, and said raise-dportion extends longitudinally of the base-member for the major portionof its length; and the forward end of said raised portion is extendedlaterally toward the inner forward edge, or directed into theball-supporting port-ion, 12 of the stiflener. This construction of thelibre base-member serves to re-inforce and strengthen it and impartenhanced resistance to buckling and also provides substantial supportfor the ball-supporting portion of the shoe. Said base-member is alsoformed with an indentation or recess 13 in its upper face whichcorresponds to and is complementary with the raised portion of the lowerface; and said recess also extends into the ball-supporting portion ofthe stiffener, as at 13a. A re-inforcing and filler member 14 isarranged to occupy said recess and is shaped to conform to said recessand,.for this purpose, is formed or provided with the more or lessV-shaped bottom face 14a and the curved or laterally-extended forwardendport-ion 14b which is adapted to enter the lateral portion 13a of saidrecess. The upper line L. 1 l section along line section along linesection along line base-member.

manner as by tacks 16 or by an adhesive, or i both, and in such a mannerthat said reinforcing member provides a substantial support for andincreases the strength of .said base-member. Said r'e-inforcing memberalso serves as a liller for the recess in said 'base-l'neniber.

The shank-stiffener is alsoprovide'd with 'a reinforcing stiff'enin'gplate 15 ywhich vpreferably is made of 'steel or some other strongmaterial7 as con'tiastedwith the lnraterialof which said base 'andlille-r members are composed. Saldfplat'el is relatively long 'andnarrow vand 1s ydisposed Irriainly along the longitndinal line of thebase-member and x upon said fibre re-inforcing member 14, and liespreferably within the boundaries of said Said plate 15 is' lsecured tosaid libre base-member and also to said fibre re-inforcingmember by thetacks 16, which tacks may also secure together said base and reinforcingmembers. Said plate 15 is formed with the laterally extended or curvedforward end-portion 15il which extends over the ball-supporting portionrof the shankstiffener and is arranged to increase the stili'- ness ofthe stiffener thereat.

It is to be noted that the libre re-inforcing member 14 provi-des meansby which the metal stiiiening plate may be applied in an effectivemanner to the shaped fibre stiifener.

I claim:

1. A shank .stiffener for shoes comprising the combination of abase-member having a raised reinforcing portion extended longitudinallyin its lower face, and a corresponding recess in its upper face, are-inforcing and filler member disposed in .said recess approximatelyflush with the upper face and secured to said base-member, and a metalreinforcing plate extended longitudinally of and located within the endsof the stiffener over said filler member, and secured to said filler andbase members.

2. A shank .stiffener for shoes comprising the combination of a brebase-member having a raised reinforcing portion extended longitudinallyin its lower face, and a corresponding recess in its upper face, andmeans to stiifen said base-member comprising a metal reinforcing plateextended longitudinally of the stiifener over said recess, and a fibrere-inforcing and filler member received in said recess and under saidplate and secured to said plate and base-member.

3. A shank stiffener for shoes comprising the combination of a basemember comprising a ball-supporting portion and having a longitudinallyextended raised portion in one face, and a corresponding` recessedportion in its opposite face, and a flat7 longitudinally-extended, metalreinforcing plate secured to said base member over said recess andhaving a lateral forward end-extension disposed over the ball-supportingportion of said base member.

4. A shank stiffener for shoes comprising the combination of abase-member having a raised reinforcing portion extended longitudinallyin its lower face, and a corresponding recess in its upper face, areinforcing and filler member disposed in said recess approximatelyflush with the upper face, and secured to said base-member, and a metalreinforcing plate extended longitudinally of and located within the endsof the stiifener over said filler member and secured to said filler andbase members, said metal re-inforcing plate having alateral'end-extension disposed over the ball-supporting portion of saidbase-member. v

5. Ashank stiifener for shoes comprising the combination of abase-member having a raised reinforcing porti-on extended longitudinallyin its lower face, and a corresponding recess in its upper face, areinforcing and filler member disposed in saidrecess approximately flushwith the upper face and secured to said base-member, and a metalreinforcing plate extended longitudinally of and located within the endsof the stiffener over said filler member and secured to said filler andbase members, said metal re-inforcing plate having a` lateralend-extension disposed over the inner end-portion of said base member.

6. A shank stiifener for shoes comprising the combination of a fibrebase member having a raised reinforcing portion in its lower face and anupper face` formed with a corresponding depression, said raised portionand. recess extended longitudinally along the maj-or portion of saidbase-member and laterally at the forward edge of .said base-member intothe inner edge-portion thereof, a fibre reinforcing and filler memberdisposed in the longitudinal and lateral portions of said recess, andapproximately fiush with the upper portion of said base-member, andsecured to said base-member, and a metal reinforcing plate disp-osedover said fibre filler member and extended longitudinally along themajor portion of said base-member and having a forward lateralextensiondisposed over the lateral extension of said fibre fillermember, and means attaching said metal re-I inforcing plate to saidbase-member.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE A. HURLEY.

